Shopper’s Guide to Yokohama

Yokohama, one of Japan’s largest cities in located in Kanagawa Prefecture, near Tokyo Bay. Although it has less traditional Japanese tourist attractions than other large cities (such as Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka), it is still visited by millions of tourists every year.

As a city with more than 3 million inhabitants, Yokohama has dozens of tourist attractions: parks, museums, shrines, temples, and, as the topic of this article, shopping areas and districts. Minato Mirai 21 is the most important shopping area in Yokohama, but malls and markets located outside this district are significant shopping destinations as well. This article serves as a shopping guide to Yokohama and more importantly, it presents the best places to shop in Yokohama.

Landmark Plaza

Landmark Plaza is situated inside a 296 meter high skyscraper! So if you have agoraphobia, you may fell frustrated in this mall. The shopping complex of Landmark Plaza consists of dozens of shops, restaurants and galleries. The winter attraction of this plaza is the 8 meter high Swarkovski Crystal Tree; with more than 70,000 light bulbs it is a major tourist attraction in December.

Landmark Plaza is open between 10.00 and 21.00 every day and it can be accessed on JR Keihin Tohoku Negishi and The Municipal Subway Lines. The address is 2-2-1 Minato Mirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, 220-8172. Besides Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean signs help the foreigners get around the building.

Queen’s Square

Queen’s Square occupies an area of 500,000 square meters and it mainly consists of shops, venues, malls. Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall and Pan-Pacific Hotel are located here as well. You can purchase here almost everything: brand clothes, luxurious and expensive jewellery, gifts, souvenirs, etc.

The majority of the shops located on the Queen’s Square are open between 11.00 – 20.00, although some shops have different schedules. The restaurants are usually open between 11.00 – 22.00 every day. This shopping area can be accessed by train; the following stations are close to the Queen’s Square: Minatomirai and Sakuragi-cho. The address is 2-3 Minato Mirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama. If you like shopping, you should visit this district of Yokohama.

World Porters Mall

World Porters Mall is located in the district of Minato Mirai and it has six floors. Though it is considered as a significant shopping spot, it is quite famous for its restaurants.

Each floor is dedicated to different themes: the first floor is full of foods and restaurants, the second has brand shops and fashion boutiques, the third floor has hobby shops and sport themed magazines, the fourth is connected to households. There is a large and good cinema located on the fifth floor, and the theme of the 6th floor is relaxation and interior design.

Most of these shops are open between 10.30 – 21.00 and the restaurants between 11.00 and 23.00. The address is 2-2-1 Shinko, Naka-ku, Yokohama. It can be accessed on JR Line (Sakuragi-cho Station) and Minato Mirai Line (Minato Mirai Station).